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13 <br />Policy: <br />Patients who have experienced an isolated IV opiate overdose should be offered a variety of options <br />to more appropriately manage their addiction. <br />Purpose: <br />The purpose of this policy is to: <br />• Ensure that the patient is offered various options for treatment of substance abuse. <br />• Provide harm reduction measures. <br />Procedure: <br />1. All patients must be over 18 years of age and must not have been in cardiac arrest during the <br />incident. <br />2. The patient must regain a normal mental status and respiratory effort after the administration of <br />Naloxone. <br />3. Transport to the Emergency Department should be offered to all patients. <br />4. For patients who decline transport to the Emergency Department, alternative destinations should <br />be offered when possible. These options could include assistance with inpatient treatment centers <br />such as Freedom House, outpatient facilities, mobile crisis solutions, addiction specialists, other <br />local treatment options. <br />5. In order to decline transport, the patient must meet the following criteria: <br />a) Be 18 years or older <br />b) Maintain a GCS of 15 <br />c) Fully alert and oriented <br />d) Be able to understand the risk of refusing transport, as described in Universal Protocol 1 <br />(UP 1) <br />6. If the patient declines transport to the Emergency Department, an additional dose of 2mg Naloxone <br />should be administered IM by EMS. A Naloxone kit should be left with the patient, family, and/ <br />or friends on the scene. EMS will provide education on how to use these kits. <br />7. In addition to the medication, the following items should be utilized when possible: <br />a) Offer to dispose of any dirty needles <br />b) Provide clean needles /syringes when possible <br />c) Refer to a community peer support team if available <br />d) Leave literature on resources for substance abuse treatment <br />e) Notification of policy utilization should be made to the EMS Operations <br />Manager via email after any naloxone kits are distributed. <br />